I am Thankful

With Thanksgiving approaching I thought it would be a good time to inventory the things I am thankful for.  There are many and listed in no particular order:

1. God.  For a loving, caring, living, interactive God that loves me more than I can comprehend.  For his unceasing intercession, for his strength, mercy, grace and compassion.  For blessings that make my cup runneth over.
2. Alaska. For this incredible place I live.  Some days on my drive to work, it literally takes my breath away as I take in the beauty that is Juneau.  Lately it has been cold and clear and the first light of day is beginning to appear I drive in.  The sun is starting to come up down Gastineau channel with all the hues of orange and just a hint of pink to paint the landscape.  The mountains are in silhouetted against the dark sky.  It is exquisite and I wish had a picture to prove it. (I tried my Iphone and it failed miserably.)
3. Family.  I am thankful for my husband.  For the mother I had, my dad, my brother and my sisters.  For my nieces and nephews and their expanding families.  For the blessings and joy of the babies that have been added that will forever be joined together in the bond of cousinhood.
4. My animals.  The love I have for them cannot be measured.  For the joy they bring to our lives as well as the entertainment, companionship and comedy that can only come from furry bundles of deliciousness.
5. Friends.  For those I see or talk to daily and those that brighten my day by an unexpected encounter at the grocery store.  And those I hear from only at Christmas and those I’ve reconnected with on Facebook.  Friends present and friends past, all have a special place in my heart.   Also coworkers, many of whom I wouldn’t connect with were it not for being thrown together in the work place but are part of my “work family.”   These are the people I spend more of day with than any of the friends and family listed above so I am grateful for their contributions to my life.
6. My home.  Even though there are plenty of things I’d love to change, I am still so grateful for the house we call home.  It keeps us warm  and dry and comfortable and meets all our needs.  It has a yard that allows me to garden and create.  And woods that harbor birds and squirrels.
7. Employment.  I know I complain endlessly about having to work but I do, in fact, have endless gratitude that Chris and I are both employed.  In these times in our country where so many people have lost their income, their homes and their security we are truly blessed.  We have medical insurance and retirement accounts and vehicles that can be relied on.  We are able to pay our bills every month with money left over.  We are fortunate to be able to give to the charities and causes of our choosing.  We really want for nothing.
8. Teachers.  To all the teachers in my life past and present.  Not only in academics but people who have taught me about life and God either by lessons and books or by example.  People who have enriched my life by empowering me with knowledge.
9. Country.   America the beautiful, land of our liberty.  For the freedoms we enjoy and the men and women who defend those freedoms.  With all its flaws and problems it is still a country to be proud of, as are the principles we stand for.  Our democracy is a shining example for the world to see as we strive to do better and be better.
10. Health.  I have not always treated my body with the respect it deserves but I still have more working parts than non-working parts so I’m happy.

More tomorrow........